Every day somewhere on our planet, there is an earthquake, but only the destructive ones in populated areas grab our attention. On January 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti. The next day the headline from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was Haiti Devastated by Massive Earthquake. The article tells how the earthquake, with […]

Most students have heard the term “going green.” This is because there is a worldwide movement that encourages people to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Many of us now hand over reusable shopping bags when cashiers ask us “paper or plastic?” In some cities, there are carpooling traffic lanes. We have environmentally friendly clothing. We […]

Students can look at a globe or map and readily see that water dominates our planet. However, do students know that over 70 percent of the earth’s surface is covered by water? Do they realize the importance of the oceans?
Currently, 80 percent of all people live within 60 miles of a seacoast. Yet many adolescents still do not think […]

Our August 28 blog entry focused on developing concepts related to the methods in and nature of science. In that post, titled “Put On a Happy Face!,” the inspiration came from scientific investigation of the relationship between suggestive language and involuntary contractions of facial muscles. The goals of that post were to help teachers assist […]

Very soon we will meet our new students and their parents. Everyone is excited but a bit nervous and perhaps anxious. Intuitively, we know smiling will help put others at ease. Everyone has heard the old wives’ tale that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile; thus, smile more and decrease the energy […]

Bats, caves, danger and exotic locales. That should catch your students’ attention! The big story here is the co-evolution of viruses and their nonhuman animal hosts, who seem to have a harmless, symbiotic relationship with viruses that cause deadly outbreaks in humans. Though this story is about Marburg virus and a fruit bat, the concepts […]

Ask your students how much milk they’ve had in the past 24 hours. I predict the amounts will be dismally low.
The Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, reports in its Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Calcium:

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2000 found that average calcium intakes were 1,081 and 793 mg/day for […]

Are you old enough to remember hearing those words spoken by President John F. Kennedy? I’m not, but I have a distinct memory of the night of July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon—the first humans to set foot on a celestial body other than planet Earth.
I was seven […]

Amusement park physics is a no-risk teaching and learning endeavor. Students engage in real-world physics applications requiring no extrinsic motivation other than the opportunity to go to an amusement park. Let’s begin with some not-so-great amusement park rides and the physics that explains them. After that, you will find several online resources you can use […]

It’s that bittersweet time of the school year. The good news is the end is near, and the sad news is the end is near! You and your students have worked hard both academically and socially and some strong bonds have developed. Take full advantage of the understanding, trust and respect you now have with […]